1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to sterilizer systems and more particularly relates to a plurality of horizontal and/or vertically spaced batch type retorts with a conveying system for selectively moving groups of containers within at least one car into the sterilizers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Batch type sterilizers or retorts such as that disclosed in Mencacci U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,590 are well known in the art and are adapted to receive and discharge a plurality of containers within supporting cars through a door at one end of each retort. It will also be understood that doors may be provided on both ends of the retorts if desired.
A continuous pressure cooker and cooler is disclosed in Mencacci U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,225 and illustrates container filled cars or carts which are moved from one end to the other end of a continuous cooker and cooler while cooking and thereafter cooling containers being processed.
Commercially available batch type of sterilizers such as FMC Model CFS are also used for sterilizing food products in cans, jars, pouches, plastic trays and other product filled containers.
European Patent Application Publication No. 0075531 discloses a sterilizing system which includes means for filling and sealing articles in containers, loading trays with the sealed articles therein into stacks, and then conveying the stacks through a sterilizer and thereafter removing the sterilized containers with the aid of a conveying system.
Conventional container receiving cars, loaders, unloaders, and car conveying means are disclosed in Creed et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,629.
Piegza U.S. Patent No. 3,776,257 discloses the use of water as the heating medium in retorts and the use of power means for opening and closing retort doors.
When a demand for more containers to be sterilized increases, more container supporting cars and more sterilizing units or retorts are required. Usually the containers are loaded and unloaded into the cars automatically, with conventional loader/unloader devices. At the present time cars are usually transported between these loaders/unloaders and the retorts by fork lifts or automatically guided vehicles. As the prior art sterilizing systems become bigger, this transport function becomes quite complex and labor intensive. It also becomes difficult to keep track of sterilized and unsterilized containers in the plurality of cars after they have been removed from present prior art systems.